The Sunday Junkie: April 18 edition

http://mmajunkie.comFor the second-straight week, a major MMA event ended in controversy, and for the second-straight week, readers sent in a record number of entries to The Sunday Junkie, MMAjunkie.com’s weekly reader-feedback feature.

While the “Strikeforce: Nashville” post-fight melee was a primary focus of most readers this week, our winner took on a different hot topic.

With three decisions in three title fights at Saturday night’s event, not to mention the recent five-round wins of Anderson Silva, Frankie Edgar and Georges St-Pierre, are champions now simply fighting not to lose?

For his winning entry, Lance “Lance2576″ Turner wins a free one-year subscription to Fighters Only magazine, the world’s leading MMA and lifestyle magazine. He’ll also be invited onto MMAjunkie.com Radio to discuss the topic with the show’s hosts.

Want to submit to next week’s edition of The Sunday Junkie? Scroll to the bottom of the page for instructions (and be sure to include your name and hometown). And check out all the entries below.

(Pictured: Jake Shields)

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FINISHING TOP FIGHTERS A CHALLENGING ORDER

I have been hearing a lot of talk about how UFC champ Georges St-Pierre has not finished three of his past four opponents and how Strikeforce champ Jake Shields did not finish his past two opponents, either. I’ve heard people say repeatedly that if you are the champ, then you should finish your fights. But I think finishing top competition is harder than most bloodthirsty fans understand. When a champ is fighting someone for his belt, it is not like he is facing a gatekeeper or a no-name fighter. He is fighting the No. 1 contender – the second-best guy in the division at the time. Guys would not become champs or No. 1 contenders if they were easy to beat. Decisions are not always fun to watch, but it shows just how good fighters across the world are becoming. Great fighters are not easily finished even if they are getting beat.

Lance “Lance2576″ Turner
Statesboro, Ga.

TITLE FIGHTS LOSING EXCITEMENT AND APPEAL

Having followed MMA for some years now in all the forms I have had time to watch, I am finding the recent rash of five-round title fights where a wrestling dominance has led to a lop-sided decision a real disappointment. There is nothing that can be done about this, but dull fights will lead to less buys or views the next time around. I am no longer interested in many fighters I once admired (i.e. Georges St-Pierre). It seems a “fight not to lose” rather than a “fight to win” attitude has sadly taken over. There are a few promising prospects to meet my needs, not the least of which being Junior Dos Santos, who may prove an antidote to smothering wrestling with brutal, attacking striking reminiscent of a prime Wanderlei Silva. I want more and passion and ambition – please.

“Jaspawokki”
Mallaig, Scotland

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS STILL A COMBAT SPORT

When Jake Shields successfully defended his title against Dan Henderson and a brawl subsequently broke out in the cage between Jason “Mayhem” Miller and the Cesar Gracie team, there were immediately many lamenting that MMA had been “set back 10 years.” The commentators, even seemed baffled. “This is ridiculous,” and, “Gentlemen, we are on live television.” I think that’s a little premature. This country has reveled in the combat sport of boxing for more than a century. Brawls are commonplace, as are instances of insanity (ear-biting, anyone?). The vast majority of people watching the fights on CBS didn’t think, “How ridiculous, MMA is being set back.” They were thinking, “Awesome, brawl in the cage; come look at this everyone!” It may not be exactly good for MMA, but it does nothing to delegitimize it as a sport in the eyes of casual observers. This is a combat sport, after all.

Evan Cassity
Louisville, Ky.

NO PRESS IS BAD PRESS FOR MMA

No press is bad press for MMA. “Strikeforce: Nashville” delivered with the crowning of new light-heavyweight champion Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, as well as title defenses for Gilbert Melendez and Jake Shields. Subsequent to the Shields fight, previous contender Jason “Mayhem” Miller barged into the post-fight interview, from which a shoving match and eventually an all-out brawl ensued, including Shield’s fellow members of the Cesar Gracie team. While some, including Strikeforce officials, might decry this behavior as unprofessional and bad for the sport, this is certainly the type of Monday-morning watercooler conversation that brings MMA ever-closer to mainstream acceptance. Competing promotions, press coverage, and now hockey-style brawls – makes one wonder what all the fuss was over Anderson Silva just a week ago.

“CopperHeart”
Westport, Conn.

POST-FIGHT MELEE BAD FOR MAINSTREAM ACCEPTANCE

Do in-cage/ring challenges have a place in MMA? No matter where you fall on this argument, the fact remains that incidents like the post-fight melee that broke out Saturday night following “Strikeforce: Nashville” do nothing but support the contention that MMA is nowhere near ready for mainstream acceptance. But is acceptance by the mainstream media and public really what would benefit the sport in the long run? MMA has come a considerable distance since 1993 and doesn’t look to be disappearing anytime soon. TV deals are great – for the promotions. But what the CBS/Strikeforce deal does for MMA, more than anything, is amplify its flaws. Greater care needs to be exercised by those who make the deals in not only growing the sport, but more importantly in offering a product that best represents what MMA is all about: technical execution, gameness, and excitement.

Mike “Sweeptheleg” Bray
Oxford, Miss.

POST-FIGHT BRAWL BAD FOR MMA, GREAT FOR STRIKEFORCE

Another CBS Strikeforce card is in the books, and while the fights may not have been the most memorable, MMA fans everywhere are buzzing over the post-fight shenanigans. Jason “Mayhem” Miller approached middleweight champion Jake Shields after his dominant performance over MMA legend Dan Henderson and requested a rematch. Shields and Co. took offense and decided to react. The end result leaves MMA looking as though it is a bunch of punks brawling, but I for one was on the edge of my seat for that moment, more so than any other point of the night. This reminded me of the boxing days and Mike Tyson press conferences that almost always broke out in battles and brawls. In that era, boxing had some of its highest pay-per-view numbers ever. It leaves me excited for the next Strikeforce and even a possible Shields-“Mayhem” rematch.

“A-shock”
Thunder Bay, Canada.

BRAWL GIVES AMMUNITION TO NAYSAYERS

After seeing the “Strikeforce: Nashville” brawl that ensued after Jason “Mayhem” Miller interrupted Jake Shields’ post-fight comments, I don’t blame any naysayers that say MMA doesn’t belong on TV or be recognized as a sport. These so-called athletes want to represent MMA on live TV by displaying immature acts of violence. Yes, “Mayhem” shouldn’t have ruined Shields’ spot light but that’s his personality; that’s what he is known for. As for the Diaz brothers, they will continue to be the most hated men in MMA, and they definitely need to start acting mature and being icons for the sport instead of a joke. Grow up, gentlemen. I hope fines and suspensions follow this ridiculous act.

“theplay”
Orange, Calif.

SILVER LINING FOR UFC IN STRIKEFORCE DEBACLE

Following the post-fight brawl at the “Strikeforce: Nashville” card, Dana White posted a smiley on Twitter. The night could not have been better for White and the UFC. The night started with a Strikeforce star, Gegard Mousasi, losing his title and lowering his stock in MMA. Shinya Aoki’s loss slows the hype coming from DREAM. Jake Shields, a fighter White has recently praised, just defeated a heavy favorite in Dan Henderson, allowing White to sleep easier about “Hendo’s” departure from the UFC. To top it all off, a fight broke out at the end of the card, likely damaging the relationship between Strikeforce and CBS. If White takes the high road, bans Nate Diaz for his role in the brawl, and chastises Strikeforce, the UFC has an opportunity to promote professionalism and sign with another network. In a night full of Strikeforce disasters, the UFC will come out the winner.

“robtheman”
Denver, CO

MILLER’S REQUEST REASONABLE, SHIELDS’ CAMP RESPONSE NOT

At Saturday night’s “Strikeforce: Nashville” event, there were only two moments that really grabbed my attention: the first round of Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson and “Mayhem” Miller’s post fight “antics”. It was an entertaining end to an otherwise sort of boring night. I don’t see the problem with Miller requesting a rematch to Shields’ face instead of posting it on his Twitter or something like that. Getting in Shields’ face and asking for a fight is an attention grabber, but the rest of the Ceasar Gracie fight team that was there shouldn’t have been so quick to jump the gun. If Shields is still confident that he could beat Miller, a rematch should be an easy win. And before the media jumps on “Mayhem” for his antics, let’s not forget how often that sort of thing happened in boxing, and how that generated revenue and hype for upcoming bouts.

Eddie “Ramses1134″ Frias
Jamaica, N.Y.

MILLER TO BLAME FOR “STRIKEFORCE: NASHVILLE” MELEE

The post main-event melee at “Strikeforce: Nashville” is the sole responsibility of Jason “Mayhem” Miller. He disrespected Jake Shields, Strikeforce, and all of the fans who had hoped that this would be the network-television MMA event that would further the sport into the mainstream. Miller’s antics will be all of the ammunition needed for opponents of MMA to continue to disregard it as a fringe sport with out-of-control athletes and fans.

Brian “azsimp” Simpson
Mesa, Ariz.

“MAYHEM” SHOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED POST-FIGHT MELEE

Jason “Mayhem” Miller certainly lived up to his name at the “Strikeforce: Nashville” event this weekend. After watching Jake Shields successfully defend his title in a grinding five-round match against the legendary Dan Henderson, Miller showed behavior devoid of class as well as poor judgement. I mean, come on, trying to steal Shield’s thunder during his interview by trying to promote a rematch between the two fighters is a recipe for disaster, especially if you look at Shield’s corner guys. With the thug-like reputations of fighters such as the Diaz brothers in Shield’s corner, what did Miller think was going to happen? Shield’s unnecessary shove of Miller was the spark, but “Mayhem,” what were you thinking? The result: a nationally televised street brawl that will elicit all the “I told you so’s” of those who think MMA is nothing more than bloodsport.

“GraveConcern”
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

JASON “MAYHEM” MILLER PROVIDED STRIKEFORCE’S BEST ACTION

Given that Gegard Mousasi had a disappointing showing, Gilbert Melendez couldn’t quite knock out Shinya Aoki and Jake Shields grinded out yet another decision “Strikeforce: Nashville,” the most exciting moment of the night occurred during Shield’s post-fight interview when Jason “Mayhem” Miller attempted to stir up the pot with rematch talk. That guy is hilarious. The over-zealous reactions of Melendez and Shields and the Diaz brothers was completely uncalled for. The entire night was low on activity, so kudos to “Mayhem” for the entertaining exchange. I’ll tune in again for that reason alone.

“Keenan”
Bermuda

CONSEQUENCES NEEDED FOR MMA’S RULE BREAKERS

From UFC to Strikeforce, this past week has put MMA in a reputational hole. The controversies of both UFC 112 and “Strikeforce: Nashville” don’t help MMA’s chances of getting legalized in other states and other countries. I believe the UFC and other promotions should be adopting some sort of discipline for actions like these. UFC president Dana White believes that MMA will be the biggest sport in 10 years, but the biggest sports in the U.S. – football and baseball – have disciplinary guidelines. Why does an NFL rookie’s draft value drop for his past actions and attitude? Why does Chad Ochocinco get fined for dancing after a score? Why did Ron Artest get suspended for half of a season for brawling on TV? Anderson Silva fan or not, “The Spider” shouldn’t be excused just because he keeps winning. Ochocinco keeps catching touchdowns but keeps catching fines. Consequences need to be in place.

Dennis “FEAR_MIR” Bairos
East Providence, R.I.

NATE DIAZ SHOULD BE CUT FROM UFC

After what I thought was a revealing night of fights at “Strikeforce: Nashville,” leaving plenty to discuss, all was overshadowed by a gross display of thug mentality prominently showcased by the Diaz brothers. I believe Jason “Mayhem” Miller was most likely urged to go in and call out Jake Shields. This kind of thing happens regularly (Rashad Evans/Quinton Jackson, Georges St-Pierre/Matt Hughes, Wanderlei Silva/Chuck Liddell, etc.). The “call out” is nothing new. Yet this time, it led to the attack of Miller. Footage clearly shows Nate Diaz throwing three kicks to Miller as “Mayhem” was held down by four other gentlemen. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated and is inexcusable. To say it’s bad for the sport is an understatement. If the UFC has any integrity whatsoever, their roster just got shorter.

Marshall Fanciullo
Chicago, Ill.

MMA DOESN’T NEED NETWORK TELEVISION

Mixed martial arts does not need network television. Saturday night’s Strikeforce event was perfect evidence. We had three fairly uneventful decisions, none of which would hook a casual fan or someone who has never watched an event before. Put simply, unless an absolute five-star card full of “Fight of the Nights” is put on network TV, the network events will never be positive. What MMA needs is more promotion with ESPN. “MMA Live” coming to ESPN2 is much bigger for the sport than Strikeforce on CBS. If MMA is constantly hyped on ESPN, people will buy the pay-per-views and more than likely will be hooked by the UFC. Strikeforce’s fighter entrances, announcers and fights might leave a bad taste in people’s mouths. Watching “MMA Live,” and maybe an eventual “MMA Friday Night Fights” on ESPN. is what the sport needs.

Trey Downey
Fruitland Park, Fla.

IS JAPANESE MMA OVERRATED?

With the recent loss of Shinya Aoki at Saturday’s “Strikeforce: Nashville” event, does it bring question to the true level of Japanese MMA? While Japanese fighters constantly compete against the same pool of opponents, who are mostly not well-rounded fighters, Aoki developed into the No. 1 star in Japan. But on Saturday night, he was beaten easily by a not-so-top-ranked U.S.-based champion. I’m not saying that Gilbert Melendez is bad fighter – he’s actually very good – but the talent differential between the best of Japan and the top-10 of the U.S. was beyond understanding. I do not see Aoki winning against any top UFC or Strikeforce fighter with a solid ground game and good standup skills. Aoki will probably secure several more wins in Japan but struggle against any top-rated U.S. talent, which raises my original question back to the surface: has Japanese MMA been overrated?

Jarno Sauri
Jyväskylä, Finland

DOES AOKI REALLY WANT MORE OF THE SAME?

Before Gilbert Melendez and Shinya Aoki even stepped into the cage, DREAM and Aoki discussed a clause for an automatic rematch in Japan. Then the talk turned to a trilogy. But after such a lop-sided beatdown over five rounds, it could be damaging to Aoki’s legacy as one of Japan’s most dominating lightweight fighters. It is bad enough that other DREAM standouts such as Marius Zaromskis, Gegard Mousasi and Melvin Manhoef have all lost in Strikeforce. Since Strikeforce doesn’t air in Japan, DREAM should just go about making other fights for Aoki, with or without Strikeforce’s help, because has no answer for Melendez.

“Big Papa”
Japan

BOO-BIRDS INFURIATING BUT SOMETIMES WARRANTED

Boo-birds are infuriating. Their lack of MMA education shines through as they grow restless any time the action is not on the feet. However, unlike Clay Guida said on MMAjunkie.com Radio, I do feel booing is sometimes warranted. Such was the case on Saturday night as Jake Shields seasoned Dan Henderson with what I guess you’d call punches. I’m growing more and more concerned as these world-class wrestlers move up the MMA ranks with their brand of ground and ground “fighting.” They throw these shots which never come close to finishing anyone. It is the responsibility of their opponent to return to their feet or work a submission, but, if I’m paying hundreds of dollars for a seat, I want to watch fighters who try to finish the fight. Jake Shields, twist your punches, you learn that day one as a white belt.

Travis Coover
Riverside, Calif.

UFC’S TALENT EVALUATION PROVEN CORRECT AT “STRIKEFORCE: NASHVILLE”

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, after their proven track record, I do not understand how anyone questions the UFC’s officials’ abilities to evaluate talent. Whenever a fighter gets cut from the UFC, people often express outrage. Yet my takeaway from “Strikeforce: Nashville” is that the UFC was not mistaken in resisting Dan Henderson’s contract demands. Jake Shields looked good, not great, and “Hendo” looked slow.

Brian “azsimp” Simpson
Mesa, Ariz.

JAKE SHIELDS’ PERFORMANCE WAS STELLAR

It’s a shame if the brawl at the end of “Strikeforce: Nashville” took away from a huge moment in the career of Jake Shields. What I witnessed last night was this: a champion’s courage after climbing to middleweight to compete with a former light heavyweight champion, a champion’s heart after persevering through not one but two knockdowns in the first, and a champion’s skill set by outwrestling and outclassing a former Olympic wrestler and a top-five middleweight. Shields’ utter dominance and masterful ground control was nothing short of impressive, leaving me anxiously awaiting his next challenge, hopefully in the UFC, and hopefully against Georges St-Pierre!

Bruno “StanleyFineLegs” Subbarao
Bradenton, FL

DOES DANA WHITE STILL WANT JAKE SHIELDS IN THE UFC?

After Jake Shields’ elected to participate in a post-fight brawl with Jason “Mayhem” Miller at “Strikeforce: Nashville,” one obvious question arise from Dana White’s recent hints at signing Shields: Will the UFC exec still want Shields in the UFC? I say yes. Lest we forget, Wanderlei Silva and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson had a very similar post-fight confrontation in PRIDE. Both of them are in the UFC now. And, hey, maybe that reaction out of Shields will help build a little hype for a potential matchup with UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. This hinges, of course, on many things. Was White serious or just trying stir the pot? Will Scott Coker exercise Shields’ one-fight option? Will Strikeforce use this as a promotional tool or ignore it? Does it even matter? Shields turned in a very impressive performance. People will want to see Shields vs. St-Pierre; maybe the brawl really will get him paid.

Evan Cassity
Louisville, Ky.

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